PeptideTreatments
Reviewed by Peptide Treatments Medical Advisory Board

Efinopegdutide: Research & Evidence

Emerging Evidence

Published research, clinical trial data, and evidence grading for Efinopegdutide across studied indications.

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Research Summary

Efinopegdutide's most significant finding is the Phase 2a NAFLD trial (PMID: 37355043) where 10 mg weekly subcutaneous injection achieved 72.7% liver fat reduction at 24 weeks — significantly greater than semaglutide 1 mg weekly (42.3%). This suggests the dual GLP-1/glucagon mechanism provides meaningful liver-specific benefits beyond GLP-1 monotherapy. Phase 2b trials are actively recruiting (NCT06386628, NCT06592068) to evaluate weekly and bi-weekly dosing. Merck (in partnership with Hanmi Pharmaceutical) is developing efinopegdutide primarily for NAFLD/MASH. Evidence base is approximately 3-5 RCTs as of March 2026.

Evidence by Indication (3 indications)

Indication Tier Trials Summary
NAFLD/liver fat reduction Tier B 1 Phase 2a RCT showed 72.7% liver fat reduction, superior to semaglutide
Obesity/weight loss Tier C 0 Weight loss observed as secondary endpoint — no dedicated obesity trial
MASH with fibrosis Tier D 0 No MASH-specific fibrosis endpoint trials completed

Graded using our evidence tier methodology.

Research Gap Score /10

Higher score = larger gap between therapeutic potential and available clinical evidence.

Citations (1 source)

  1. 1. Efinopegdutide vs semaglutide in NAFLD: Phase 2a randomized trial Clinical Trial

    Harrison SA, et al. (2023), Nature Medicine